Hineinu, May 1, 2024

Kabbalah & Hasidim Class Starts on May 2
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Thursdays, May 2 and May 9 –  Zoom Room Dalet
Sign up for this upcoming class, Kabbalah and Hasidism Through the Life of Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav. Using Martin Buber's The Tales of Rabbi Nachman, we will look at the life of Rabbi Nachman, his teachings, and his profound stories. Led by Harriet Cooke. Members and non-members welcome. RSVP

Spring Havurah New(ish) Member Welcome Brunch is This Sunday!
10 am to noon, on Sunday, May 5, at Havurah Shalom

A schmear & schmooze brunch at Havurah Shalom from the Havurah Welcoming Committee for new members, newish members, and any Havurahniks who would appreciate being welcomed in again and learning about new ways to become more connected within the community. Questions? Email Wendy Castineira.
Register in advance for the New(ish) Member Welcome Brunch!

Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration: Friday, May 10
6 pm Oneg; 6:30 pm Service; 7:30 pm registration-only Dinner, Friday, May 10  – Havurah Shalom (6:30 pm Service both in person at Havurah and online in Zoom Room Aleph)

A family-friendly oneg followed by a service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians, with dinner afterward. No RSVP or registration is needed to join for the oneg and service; just join in! All are welcome! 

Only the 7:30 pm dinner requires registration and may fill up to capacity quickly. You can register for dinner here.

Havurahniks, can you help out at our May Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration? Click here to explore available volunteer shifts, which start at just 15 minutes. Many helping hands are needed to make Kabbalat Shabbat a success each month.

Regular Havurah Happenings

Weekly Torah Study​ 
9 am, Saturdays – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
An in-depth look at the weekly Torah reading, led by congregants. No prior knowledge or study is necessary.

Shabbat Morning
10 am, Saturdays – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services. Upcoming b'nei mitzvah (Benjamin Rose and Asher Segal-Adoff, May 11) are listed below and in the website calendar. There will be a Contemplative Shabbat at 10 am on May 4.

Mahjong Group
1 pm, first and third Mondays – Havurah Shalom Library
Mahjong is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. If you want to learn how to play, please contact Leah Hershey for teaching resources. If you are ready to join a game, please RSVP on the calendar. To receive Mahjong Group updates, ask Leah to add you to the email list.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays – Havurah Shalom (Sanctuary or Library) and Zoom Room Bet
We gather to find moments of quiet and shalom in a welcoming space. Various styles of Jewish meditation are explored. No meditation experience necessary. All are welcome to drop in. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, Nancy Becker, or Ria de Neeve.

Morning Minyan
8:30 am, Wednesdays – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and those saying Kaddish. All are welcome. On Tuesday, April 30 (Eighth Day of Pesach), there will be a Passover Minyan (Yizkor) that will also start at 8 am.)

Upcoming Havurah Events

Kabbalah and Hasidism Through the Life of Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Thursday, May 2 and Thursday, May 9 – Zoom Room Dalet
Using Buber's The Tales of Rabbi Nachman, we will look at the life of Rabbi Nachman, his teachings, and his profound stories. This class will involve some meditation and journaling to help us reflect. Led by Harriet Cooke. RSVP

Prayer Flags for Our Planet: Guided Tour Hours with the Artist, Anne Nesse
11 am to 3 pm, Thursday, May 2 and Thursday, May 9 – Havurah Shalom
Come to Havurah during these hours (11 am to 3 pm on May 2 orMay 9) for a guided tour of Prayer Flags for Our Planet, from the artist, Anne Nesse. "This exhibit is about science and art. It is meant to be a learning experience, about the top 60 solutions to climate change, as researched by over 5,000 scientists. And most importantly it is about hope. It is about learning about these solutions to climate change and changing the hearts and minds of those around us, so that we can all work together." - Anne Nesse. Learn more.

Contemplative Shabbat
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, May 4 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
We will chant verses and spend time in silent prayer or meditation, then connect through Torah discussion and share blessings. Led by Rabbi Benjamin.

Spring New(ish) Member Welcome Brunch
10 am to 12 pm, Sunday, May 5 – Havurah Shalom
All Havurahniks are welcome at the brunch, new and old alike! Questions? Email Wendy Castineira, Kehillah (Community) Cluster Lead. RSVP

Palestine Justice Working Group Check-In Meeting
7 pm, Sunday, May 5 – Zoom Room Bet
In addition to meeting every third Sunday of the month at Havurah and in Zoom Room Bet, we also meet on the first Sunday of the month just  in Zoom Room Bet to check in. If you are interested in being added to the listserv, please email David Lewis.

Rosh Ḥodesh Tov! Gender-Inclusive New Moon Ritual
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Thursday, May 9 – In Person or Zoom Room Heh (to be announced)
Our gender-inclusive New Moon group celebrates each Rosh Ḥodesh with learning and ancient and contemporary ritual. Everyone is invited to connect with our closest heavenly body, the Moon. Gatherings take place on or near the new moon of each Hebrew month. Attend any or all sessions. RSVP to be updated on location and other details throughout the year. Location details for the May 9 gathering will be announced soon.

Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration
6 pm Oneg; 6:30 pm Service; 7:30 pm registration-only Dinner, Friday, May 10  – Havurah Shalom (6:30 pm Service both in person at Havurah and online in Zoom Room Aleph)
A family-friendly oneg followed by a service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians, with dinner afterward. No RSVP or registration is needed to join for the oneg and service; just join in! All are welcome! Only the 7:30 pm dinner requires registration and may fill up to capacity quickly. You can register for dinner here.

Havurahniks, can you help out at our May Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration? Click here to explore available volunteer shifts, which start at just 15 minutes. Many helping hands are needed to make Kabbalat Shabbat a success each month.

Shabbat Morning with B'nei Mitzvah of Benjamin Rose and Asher Segal-Adoff
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, May 11 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph 
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Benjamin Rose and Asher Segal-Adoff as B'nei Mitzvah and members of our community.

Combatants for Peace: Two Joint Israeli & Palestinian Events
Joint Memorial Ceremony, at 10:30 am, on Sunday, May 12 (RSVP) & Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony, 10 am, on Wednesday, May 15 (RSVP) –Havurah Shalom (We encourage you to come to Havurah to watch the ceremonies live together, but you can also watch the ceremonies from home.)
Each year, Combatants for Peace and The Parents Circle Families Forum organize the Joint Memorial Ceremony and Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony, through which Israelis and Palestinians can grieve together, catalyze transformation, and strengthen their shared resolve to create a just peace. We encourage you to come to Havurah to watch these ceremonies together with us on May 12 Joint Memorial Ceremony (RSVP) and May 15 Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony (RSVP). If you are not able to join us in person, you can sign up to watch the online broadcasts from home: May 12 online broadcast and May 15 online broadcast. Havurahnik Lois Bronfman has kindly offered to help answer questions and help on the day of these events. Additional volunteers would be welcomed and appreciated as well.

Havurah Music Jams Rock On!
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, May 13 – Havurah Shalom (in the Pardes Classroom)
On the second Monday of the month, come sing and play in community! We will be in the Pardes classroom at Havurah. Songsheets will be provided and include a mix of country, folk, Jewish folk, liturgical and popular songs. Bring your instrument, your voice and your enthusiasm! Please RSVP for the May Music Jam.

Steering Meeting
6:30 pm to 9 pm, Tuesday, March 14 – Zoom Room Gimel
All Havurah Shalom members are invited to join for Steering Committee meetings.

Annual Cemetery Beautification Day
1 pm to 3 pm, Sunday, May 19 – 5656 SW Humphrey Blvd., Portland (Click here for driving directions and public transportation options to get to Havurah's cemetery)
To beautify our cemetery, please bring garden implements and wear appropriate clothing.

Fiddler on the Roof Sing-Along
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, May 20 – Havurah Shalom
Join us at Havurah, with Barry Lavine accompanying on the piano! Sing-alongs are for everyone who enjoys singing to circle round and join voices together. No expertise is needed, just the desire to sing. Costumes optional! RSVP

Shabbat Morning with Bat Mitzvah of Nadine Luker
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, May 25 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph 
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Nadine Luker as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community.

Book Group Discussion: Whatever Happened to Antisemitism? By Anthony Lerman
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, May 28 – Zoom Room Bet
The public, academics, journalists, activists and Jewish people themselves are divided over the meaning of antisemitism. Antony Lerman shows that this is a result of a 30-year process of redefinition of the phenomenon, casting Israel, problematically defined as the “persecuted collective Jew,” as one of its main targets. This political project has taken the notion of the “new antisemitism” and codified it in the flawed International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s “working definition” of antisemitism. This text is the glue holding together an international network comprising the Israeli government, pro-Israel advocacy groups, Zionist organizations, Jewish communal defense bodies and sympathetic governments fighting a war against those who would criticize Israel. The consequences of this redefinition have been to suppress free speech on Palestine/Israel, legitimize Islamophobic right-wing forces, and politicize principled opposition to antisemitism. Discussion led by Joel Beinin. Nonmembers welcome. RSVP for Zoom info.

Safety Corner

Guardian Active Bystander Training
7 pm, Tuesday, May 14 – Zoom by RSVP
Secure Community Network's Jessica Anderson will teach us skillsets to help identify and respond to hazards, enabling you to become an Active Bystander—someone who helps and protects others with confidence and knowledge. RSVP

More Tikkun Olam 

Poverty & Homelessness Committee
Recording of the Interfaith Alliance On Poverty First Thursday April Meeting with Brandy Westerman
Brandy Westerman, who presented at the recent April Interfaith Alliance on Povery First Thursday meeting, was recently appointed to the newly created position of Emergency Humanitarian Director to the city of Portland's alternative shelter efforts. This includes existing and planned safe rest villages and other temporary alternative shelter sites. Contact Sue Abrams for the link and pass code needed to access the recording of this meeting.

Join the Interfaith Alliance On Poverty First Thursday May Meeting with Kodee Zamkee
12 pm to 1:30 pm, Thursday, May 2 – RSVP for Zoom link
Kodee Zamke of Street Roots will discuss what Street Roots has learned from working with its vendors,. She will tell us how the new offices and living quarters of the Street Roots building will be used and let us know what is coming for Street Roots in their work to inform Portland about the causes of poverty. Questions? Contact Sue Abrams.

Havurah Shalom Tikkun Olam Partners:
Path Home (formerly PHFS): Volunteer for our monthly Path Home dinner | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG | Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW ​​​​​​ | Rose Haven | Oregon Food Bank

General Info

Thank you for following our COVID safety guidelines for in-person gatherings, which were updated on June 15, 2023. 

Contacting your fellow Havurah members: If a member's name is hyperlinked, you can go directly to their contact page in the directory by clicking on their name and then logging into your Havurah account. Or search in the online Havurah member directory (log into the website and go to the Contact tab). 

Zoom Room links can be found near the end of this email.

Out in the Community

Celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut with Israeli Folk Dancing
Monday, May 13, 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm – Leedy Grange, 835 NW Saltzman Rd, Portland
Dance Through the Decades! Vintage dances begin at 7:30pm followed by popular dances through the decades until 10:30pm. Beginners welcome. See more details here. $7 cash or Venmo at the door.

Music for the Jewish Soul: A Klezmer, Sephardic, & Eastern European Musical Gala
Sunday, May 19, 6:15 pm to 9 pm – Eastside Jewish Commons (2420 Northeast Sandy Boulevard)
This is a fundraiser for P'nai Or of Portland and a social event with fantastic music for all of Jewish Portland. Held at the EJC, this fancy gala will feature music by Michelle Alany and The Mystics, plus special guest Eric Stern. There will be appetizers and drinks, a silent auction. dancing, and schmoozing. Please wear fancy/dressy clothes! Ticket cost is on a sliding scale, $36-250 per person in advance ($40-250 at the door), and includes drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and appetizers. Attendance limited by the capacity of the space, so get your tickets early! Register here.

Resources

Do You Need Support?
If you are facing emotional, financial, or health challenges and would welcome support, please consider contacting the (a) Bikkur Holim (Visiting the Sick) Committee for spiritual support, (b) Lotsa Helping Hands for help with food, transportation, or other errands, or (c) Rabbi Benjamin, for spiritual and moral support – benjamin@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3. If you're interested in being on a list of people who support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Lotsa Helping Hands. To request that the name of a relative or Havurah member be read during the Misheberach (healing prayer) at Shabbat services, please use this Misheberach Request Form.

Questions About Havurah?
The Transparency & Inclusivity Committee is an avenue within Havurah Shalom to help members find the answers to questions or concerns they have wondered about. Please send your questions to transparency@havurahshalom.org. We will anonymously answer your question in Hakol. Everyone in our community benefits from this clarity.

Havurah Zoom Rooms

Havurah Zoom Rooms

To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.